St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-12-10

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
Mine new comets were observed
during the year 1856.
The petroleum reiiners OF the United
States consume about 1000. .000 pounds
Of sulphuric acid PEE month.
:. Two hundred aud ffty-five meteor
illogical stations arc now maintained In
Russia. exclusive of the large Obserta-
tories.
An Australian mineral called
maldonite has been found to consist Of
an alloy Of gold and bismuth. contain
ing sixty -four per cent OF the former
metal
The English co-operatives have
bank whose transactions amount to
$50. .000. 900 year. Their 900. 900 men,
hers receive an annual profit Of el5.-
100000. Their profits during the past
twenty-four years have been $4,000.
00O. Washington Cve1srR0n.
According to geological eompnta-
tions the minimum age Of the earth
since the formations Of the primitive
soils is q. 900. 900 years-6. zoo. 600 years
for the primortiial formations. 6. 100000
years for the primary age. 2.3OO.OO0
years for the secondary age. and $780,
900 years for the tertiary ago. and l0O.-
900 since the appearance Of man upon
the globe.
The Jexeicrs' Journal says: There
has never been time in the history Of
the American watch trade when the
business was Of such vast proportions
as now. All the larger factories that
have run all summer. As well " those
that shut down for short interval. are
behind orders at the present time. with
the prospect II the largest holiday de-
mand ever khown before them"
The manufacture Of corsets is
becoming a most important industry
in Wurtemberg. about 10000 people
being now engaged in the trade. Large
quantities Of woven corsets are exported
to Brazil La Plata. England and the
Uuited States The amount sent to the
last named country is. however. less
now than previously. as the United
States have also begun to manufacture
this article.
Some curious results produced by
exploding marked blocks of gun-cotton
ON flat plates Of wrought iron have
been described by Mr.. c. E Monroe.
The gun-cotton blocks were placed
with the lettered side down. and the
letters stamped in relief appeared in
relief on the iron after explosion. while.
on the other hand. the letters depressed
in the gun-cottOn were also depressed
on the iron plate.-ArkavsaO TTarcier.
Tho British Iron Trade Association
nas issued its half-yearly statistics Of
the production and stocks of pig iron.
and the production II Besscmcr steel
iugots and raila As compared with
the corresponding six months Of 1886.
the make Of steel ingots shows an in
crease Of 2O2. 217. and the make oi
steel rails an increase Of 1856 tons.
Tho production Of pig iron increased
ISL. .34l tons The increase Of stocks Of
pig iron as compared with the same
period has been 1916 tons.-Pkblie
Opinion. a.
1T seems that dynamite which has
been exploded in blasting o0t rocks
sometimes leaves m explosive residQe
which renders it dangerous to break up
the smaller masses with the sledge-
hammer. In Brazil, where this residue
has caused several serious explosions
in mines. it il supposed that nitro-giy.
cerine exud..s from the dynamite before
or st the time il Is fired. and remains at
the bottom'of the drill-hole. unexploded.
until struck by the sledge-hammer
whom the miners are breaking up the
rock. Whatever the true explanation
may be. the subject:s Is well worthy Of
investigation BY the man ufacturers Of
dynamite.-M r. Ledger.
!, The discovery Of new gas is .
rare and important event 10 chemists.
Such . discovery has been announced
in Germany By Dr. Theodore Curtius.
who hes succeeded in preparing the
long-sought hydrids al nisrogen ami
dogen. diamidc or hydrazinc. as it il
variously called. This remarkable
body. which has hitherto bafIled all at
tempts at isolation. 10 now shown 10 be
. gas. perfectly stable upto very high
temperature. cf . peculiar. odor. differ.
ing from that Of ammonia. exceedingly
soluble il water. and Of basic proper
tiss Ia composition it is nearly idsn-
teal with ammonia, both being COM
pounds Of nitrogen and hydrogsn.-
Bossos Budget